Top 10 Vegan Sources of Protein

Photo of Daisy Whitbread Written by Daisy Whitbread
BSc (Hons) MSc DipION
Photo of Dr. Patricia Shelton Medically Reviewed by
Dr. Patricia Shelton
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Top 10 Vegan Sources of Protein

Veganism is a diet that avoids all foods from animals. This includes meats, seafood, cheese, milk, and eggs. Some vegans are concerned about getting enough protein, including adequate amounts of all nine of the essential amino acids.

Although it's certainly possible to meet your protein requirements entirely from plant sources (1), not all plant proteins are complete, meaning that they may not contain adequate levels of all nine of the essential amino acids. Combining proteins from different plants can help to ensure that you're getting all of the amino acids that you need. You can use our Complete Protein Calculator to find out whether a certain combination of plant foods would provide you with complete protein.

There are quite a few artificial meat products currently on the market. These are very highly processed foods. They generally use a high-protein plant food as a base, but then alter it significantly in order to mimic meat. Studies have found that consuming these highly processed foods does not have beneficial effects on human health. (2) This list avoids such foods, sticking instead to foods that are less processed and more natural.

Whole and healthy vegan sources of protein include tofu, beans, lentils, soymilk, green peas, nuts, seeds, whole grains, peanut butter, spinach, sweet corn, and mushrooms. The daily value (DV) for protein is set at 50 grams per day. (3) This is a general target meant for most people.

For more vegan sources of protein see our lists of beans, grains, nuts, vegetables, and fruits high in protein.

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A printable one-page list of vegan foods high in protein.

More Protein Rich Foods for Vegans

FoodServingProtein
1. Dry Roasted Soybeans per cup 81% DV
(40.3g)
2. Natto (Fermented Soybeans) per cup 68% DV
(34g)
3. Tempeh per cup 67% DV
(33.7g)
4. Soybean Sprouts 1 cup 18% DV
(9.2g)
5. Asparagus per cup cooked 9% DV
(4.3g)
6. Guavas per Cup 8% DV
(4.2g)
7. Artichokes (Globe or French) in a medium artichoke 8% DV
(4.2g)
8. Raisins per oz 2% DV
(0.9g)

About the Data

Data for the curated food lists comes from the USDA Food Data Central Repository.

You can check our data against the USDA by clicking the (Source) link at the bottom of each food listing.

Note: When checking data please be sure the serving sizes are the same. In the rare case you find any difference, please contact us and we will fix it right away.

About Nutrient Targets

Setting targets can provide a guide to healthy eating.

Some of the most popular targets include:
  • Daily Value (%DV) - The daily value (%DV) is a general guideline for consumption that will prevent deficiency of a particular nutrient in most people. The %DV refers to the percentage of an amount that\'s found in a single serving of a food. It also accounts for absorption factors. It is set by the U.S. FDA.
  • Recommended Dietary Allowance (%RDA) - The RDA sets an average daily dietary intake level that is sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of nearly all (97.5%) healthy individuals. It\'s more specific than the daily value, and varies by age and gender. The RDA is set by the US National Institutes of Health.
  • Reference Dietary Intake (%RDI) -The reference dietary intake is similar to the recommended daily allowance, but is specific to age and gender. The RDI for amino acids is set by the U.N. World Health Organization.
  • Adequate Intake (%AI) - This value is primarily used in reference to omega-3 and omega-6 fats. The Adequate Intake is set by the U.S. Institute of Medicine. Because there is less evidence to determine the ideal targets for consumption of these nutrients, the specific amount is considered to be less reliable. Using the term Adequate Intake, rather than one of the other terms, helps to emphasize that the ideal intake of that particular nutrient has not yet been scientifically determined.

See the Guide to Recommended Daily Intakes for more information.

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Use the ranking tool links below to select foods and create your own food list to share or print.


View more nutrients with the nutrient ranking tool, or see ratios with the nutrient ratio tool.

Data Sources and References

  1. François Mariotti and Christopher D. Gardner. Dietary Protein and Amino Acids in Vegetarian Diets—A Review. Nutrients. 2019 Nov; 11(11): 2661. Published online 2019 Nov 4. doi: 10.3390/nu11112661
  2. Anthony Crimarco, Matthew J. Landry, Matthew M. Carter, and Christopher D. Gardner Assessing the effects of alternative plant-based meats v. animal meats on biomarkers of inflammation: a secondary analysis of the SWAP-MEAT randomized crossover trial J Nutr Sci. 2022; 11: e82. Published online 2022 Sep 23. doi: 10.1017/jns.2022.84
  3. U.S.FDA - Daily Value on the New Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels
  4. U.S. Agricultural Research Service Food Data Central
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